The Lie Eternal
by Arcane.L'cie
Summary: A "what if" story where Nagi and Schwarz held other plans for the coup on Garderobe. Hostage, Shizuru finds herself a willing pawn in Nagi's game of manipulation and finds herself dancing on the fine line separating the enemy from the Otome as her sense of morality gradually weakens the longer she gambles with the Grand Duke.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I: Electroshock

_Shizuru watched as Natsuki fled her own domain, blue hair fluttering by as she escaped. There was nothing to be done now except to wait. The meister sighed, heart pounding against her chest, before turning back to face her opponents. Three soldiers were advancing towards her, none of them looked too intelligent. A sly grin appeared on Shizuru's face as she straightened, holding her arms out in a gesture for them to attack her.  
"Come on, boys. Let's see which one of you would attack a lady." And of course they took the bait. One of them rushed forward, his attacks sloppy and his punches overstepped.  
Shizuru sidestepped one wayward fist, wrapping her hand around her attacker's wrist and twisting his arm. The man bowed at the pressure, doubled over at the waist. His frantic protests earned more pressure until he was released, and he slunk to the ground. Two other soldiers rushed her, guns cocked and ready to fire. Oneof them did, and Shizuru gave a small hop backwards to avoid any serious injury. The bullet flew past her, barely grazing the side of her face. Shizuru launched herself forward, catching the soldier off guard when her hand connected with the underside of his jaw. The soldier's partner latched onto Shizuru's back, muscular arms wrapping around the woman's neck. Shizuru felt the pressure on her windpipe tightening and swung her elbow into the man's chest, prompting him to let go. The meister Otome left little recovery time and swung around, pressing her knee into the soldier's midsection._

_Shizuru brought a hand up to massage her throat, still having yet to recover from the attempt to asphyxiate her. An approaching form caught her attention and she readied herself to fight once more. Yet the woman paused when her gaze landed on the Coral Otome uniforms. Captives. She had been trained for times like the one now, and the option to either fight and risk her life as well as the lives of the students or to surrender and negotiate later._

_Shizuru surprised herself when her arms slowly lifted through the air, stopping above her head in the universal symbol of surrender. Two lackeys of Schwarz bounded forward, flanking her on either side._

_~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~_

Meister Shizuru Viola was a prisoner of war, a captive of Nagi Dai Artai. The young woman sat ramrod straight, her back pressed to the dingy stone wall of her cell and her legs crossed in front of her. Iron shackles adorned her wrists, heavy in her lap and unberably painful. Anxious fingers tangled with one another, the nail of her left forefinger tearing at the skin of her thumb.

It was a dreadful habit that she had worked hard to break-along with Miss Maria's strict warnings whenever she was caught doing it, subconciously or otherwise-and it was only a habit that manifested when she was under extreme pressure.

Shizuru grit her teeth, clenching her hand into a fist in an attempt to keep herself from repeating the habit. Thunder bellowed in the distance, a forceful cry that shook the foundation of her cell, and Shizuru counted down the time it took for lightning to strike. A bright light lashed the sky, briefly illuminating the dim atmosphere of her cell before fading away.

She sighed, hoping that Natsuki was faring better than prayed to whatever God that was out there that the Otome was alive and still free, and if it were otherwise then she would never forgive herself for being the better person. Had Shizuru known that things would end up like this, she would've taken the low road and fled too.

But the woman had a moral compass that couldn't be betrayed. If she had left, she would've despised herself and found herself being despised by others. There came a certain obligation with being a Meister Otome as well as one of the Five Columns.

Had she fled Garderobe, her position would've surely been taken from her and her status would've been severely impacted. Perhaps it was better this way. No doubt if Natsuki was indeed free still that she would be devising a plan of action to reclaim Garderobe.

A sharp creak interrupted Shizuru from her thoughts, and the woman jerked her head up, startled at the sudden noise. The metal door slammed against the stone wall, revealing two of Schwarz's guards and the mastermind behind the coup. The Grand Duke was little more than a teenager, perhaps not even, yet he was still capable of instilling fear and awe in the hearts of those he manipulated.

He strode forward on prisitne boots, hands clasped behind his back and an arrogant smirk set on his lips. Shizuru narrowed her eyes at the boy, who regarded her with pale eyes reflecting malicious intent. It sent a wave of nauseating unease rippling through her core, yet Shizuru didn't let her glare falter.

"The Bewitching Amethyst, hm?" Nagi turned to the soldiers, regarding them with a devious smile. One soldier nodded firmly, satisfying the boy. "That's impressive." He shifted his eyes back to Shizuru and moved so that he was standing directly in front of her. He sneered down at the Otome.

"Tell me, Bewitching Amethyst Shizuru Viola, do you know we plan on doing to Garderobe?"

Shizuru averted her glare, mouth drawn into a thin line. There was no telling what Nagi planned to do with Garderobe, or with the rest of the remaining world, for that matter. Nagi scowled at the lack of a response. His hand shot out, jerking the Otome's chin with his thumb and forefinger so the infuriating woman was once again facing him.

"I'll give you a hint," His words were cruel, tainted with a sinister venom like that of a snake. He was a snake, Shizuru concluded. "Garderobe has fallen under my control. I control the Schwarz army and I have the Key to the Harmonium serving me."

He brought his face lower, letting his mouth rest near the woman's ear. "You seem like you're an intelligent woman, Shizuru Viola, you're more than capable of putting two and two together."

Her eyes widened and another wave of unease passed through her, running down her spine. She inhaled sharply, more so out of the uncomfortably close proximity between her and the Grand Duke than her hatred towards the boy himself. The Grand Duke edged away, a sinister grin overtaking his features as he studied her for a few minutes more before turningon the heel of his boot.

He paused in the doorway, hand resting on the frame as he glanced back at her. "I'll have someone sent to get you later this evening, Meister." He left her with those words floating in her mind, the echo of his boots fading as he retreated back up the stairs.

Shizuru released a tense sigh, calming her anxious heart and frenzied thoughts. She clenched and unclenched her hands several times, the weight of her shackles resting in her lap. Crimson eyes opened to regard the spot where Nagi had stood, directed at the floor yet seeing nothing.

The information that the Grand Duke had just told her was valuable, precious, and would cost her life if she wasn't careful. She hadn't expected things to turn out this way. It was not a mistake on her part that she never anticipated that the enemy would have such a great advantage. If Nagi held the Harmonium's player under his control, then everything was at risk.

The day the Harmonium was found and reawakened was bad enough, and although it hadn't been Arika's fault for bringing the accursed thing back into existence, Shizuru sure as hell had wanted to throttle the girl when she offered to tutor her. Now, knowing that more than one Player existed only served to upset Shizuru more. Time was not their friend, it seemed.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

The storm had subsided gradually, the vehement bellows of thunder and sky-splitting lightning had diminished to a steady rainfall until the sky was no longer saddled with such a heavy burden. The air was cold, biting almost, and a forceful wind had settled, dragging violent tendrils through the branches of the trees, tearing loose leaves and frail limbs.

The air inside Shizuru's cell had grown unpleasantly frigid, and the young Meister found it difficult to rest and had given up trying altogether. She had curled into herself, hoping to generate enough body heat for the time being, and was thankful that her dress was fitted with long sleeves.

A gust of wind filtered through the cracks in the wall, prompting another spasm to run through Shizuru's body. Leave it to Schwarz generosity to throw her into the cell with the worst insulation.

Shizuru found it odd and a bit concerning that she was hoping to see whoever it was that Nagi said he was sending down. She was almost begging for them to come and take her to wherever was in store for her next. Well, perhaps not.

The woman tilted her head back, resting against the cold wall that her bed rested against. She wondered where Natsuki was, an ache toying with her heart, striking a chord of longing within her.

Her pessimism was slowly manifesting, briefly Shizuru envisioned a scenario where Natsuki had been caught, before banishing the thought from her mind. She didn't need those scenarios clouding her head.

The mechanism of her door alerted her of a visitor, and the jangling of keys could be heard from the other side. Rusting hinges skreaked in protest as the door slowly opened. Shizuru kept her eyes trained on the entryway, brow furrowingslightly when the figure registered.

The Meister sat upright, curious as to why a Garderobe student would be the one to retrieve her. Then again, the student in question was Tomoe Marguerite, and Shizuru shouldn't have been so surprised.

Silence remained between the former student and Meister as Tomoe moved to free her former idol from her restraints. Shizuru kept her eyes focused on the movements of the younger girl, taking note of the altered uniform and dangling crystal that adorned the girl's left ear. The heavy shackles fell to the ground with a harsh thud and Tomoe straightened, standing above Shizuru with her eyes averted.

The girl shifted almost awkwardly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks as she muttered, "Grand Duke Nagi has sent me to escort you to another location."

Shizuru nodded, deciding that it was probably best to go along with whatever it was Nagi had planned for her. "Then I won't be one to interfere with your job, Marguerite-san." Shizuru levelled the girl with a steady look and the girl nodded with a bit more confidence.

Shizuru rose from the meager cot, finding relief in standing and feeling her muscles stretch out. She strode from the room, waiting for Tomoe to direct her down the correct path. The young Coral walked alongside Shizuru, her face set in a determined expression.

It was clear that there would be no room for idle chatter during this walk. They approached a door and the guards stationed promptly opened it, saluted, and resumed their positions as they passed by.

Shizuru found herself able to breathe a bit easier now that they were away from the dismal holding cells, finding comfort in the flourescents of the hallways. The corridors, however, were devoid of life and Shizuru yearned for when things were much missed the sound of students in the hallways, and concluded that it was much more lonely without the din of gossip and chitchat.

They rounded a corner which extended into a long hallway. Trepidation settled in the pit of Shizuru's stomach as they travelled down the length of the hallway.

The doors at the end led to Yokho's lab; the lab which had been taken over by Schwarz scientists during the coup. The lab that stood behind those doors was no longer familiar, and instead held threats of ill intent and the prospect of unknown experiments.

"Viola-oneesama," Tomoe called to her, pulling the Meister from her worries. "We're here. I am prohibited from accompanying you further." Shizuru glanced at the younger girl, nodded, and inhaled sharply as Tomoe entered a code on the keypad.

The doors slid open with a hiss, and Shizuru was left peering into an unknown abyss. The long set of stairs led to her fate, and whatever was to occur down in the labs set Shizuru's heart rapidly thrumming against her chest. There was no way out of this, not with Tomoe nearby. Shizuru forced back the wave of nausea, releasing air and tightening her hands into fists as she took the first step to her unknown fate.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

"They have Shizuru hostage?" Natsuki seethed, one hand slamming against the surface of the table.

That was the last thing she needed to hear right now, and it was almost enough to send her over the edge. Not only were Arika and Mashiro both missing, but Garderobe had been commandeered by Nagi and those Schwarz bastards, and now her lover was taken hostage by that Grand Duke brat. "How?"

"It's been said that the Bewitching Amethyst was outnumbered, but other sources say she surrendered for the welfare of the students."

Natsuki eased into a nearby chair, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. It was unlikely that Shizuru had fallen to the enemy, Natsuki knew that her Otome was more than capable at handling Schwarz soldiers. And it sounded like a thing Shizuru would do, surrendering herself for the students.

"As long as she's still at Garderobe, there may be some hope left." Natsuki tried to sound optimistic, and it helped that some of the others forced weak smiles in response, but she knew that it was a long shot.

If it was true that Nagi had a way to control the Harmonium and that Schwarz was loyal to him, then things could go very wrong very soon. The principal just hoped that they didn't take a long time to devise a plan.

The blue-haired woman turned to regard the rest of the escapees. They were few in number, under half of them were Garderobe. Natsuki turned to regard Nao, scowling when she noticed the redhead was busy filing her nails.

"Nao," Natsuki barked, startling the other woman. "I need your help."

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

The dark is never a friendly place, and Shizuru certainly understood why it wasn't. A heavy weight had settled in the pit of her stomach, the weight increasing the further she descended the vast staircase. She came to a stop on the landing, turning to look back at the door.

It was strange that she hadn't simply turned around and escaped. Something compelled her to carry on, some sick and unsettling curiosity that frightened Shizuru was the reason she descended the next flight of stairs. That overwhelming urge to know what her fate would be led her to enter the sterile room at the bottom of the steps.

Shizuru stepped into the brightly lit lab, wincing at the sudden flood of bright after a seemingly eternity swathed in darkness. A detached voice greeted her. "We've been awaiting you, Shizuru Viola."

A man emerged from behind a large and complex piece of equipment, smirking at her. He was blonde, balding, beady-eyed, and Shizuru personally thought that his nose was rather parrot-like. To put it bluntly, the man disgusted her.

"Smith." Shizuru regarded the man with an obvious disdain. "It's been awhile. Last time I saw you, you interfered in affairs between Asward and Otome."

Smith chuckled, adjusting his glasses with the tip of his finger. "Witty as ever. And just as infuriating as well." He snapped his fingers and twelve soldiers were surrounding Shizuru.

"I suppose I'll get to the details. You're wondering why you're even down here, aren't you? You see, the Grand Duke gave me a glorious idea. When Schwarz interfered with the signal between the GEMs and The Founder, he said to me, "Smith, of you can do that and create new GEMs for the Valkyries, I bet there's a way to do that with existing GEMs already." And you know, he was right."

He snapped his fingers again and two soldiers moved to grab hold of Shizuru's wrists.

Smith edged closer to the machinery, studying it with keen interest. He peered over at Shizuru from behind his glasses. "This machinery was specially deisgned to link to the same source we used to produce the Valkyrie GEMs. Instead of creating, however, it rewires the data in existing GEMs instead."

The purpose of her being there was obvious and terrifying. "So why do you need me?" Shizuru challenged, trying hard to keep her fear from showing through her calm facade.

"I think you know just as well as I do why you're here." Smith shother a malicious look, sneering at the Meister otome. He gave a command and the soldiers began ushering her forward, directing her towards the machine.

Shizuru struggled against their grips, only to have one of the soldiers retaliate by landing a blow to the underside of her jaw. She faltered, staggering at the force of the blow and allowing for the soldiers to shove her into a nearby chair and chain her wrists to the armrests.

"I don't understand why you good guys struggle." Smith chuckled as he went about connecting wires to the machine. "It only makes it worse for yourself." He took a small device between thumb and forefinger, analyzing it carefully before hooking it to a cord. He circled back around so that he was standing behind the meister.

"And what if your technology doesn't work?" Shizuru croaked, her windpipe throbbing from the soldier's heavy hit. Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt stubby fingers weave their way through her hair, gliding over her roots before tightening and pulling sharply, forcing her head back.

"I assure you, Shizuru Viola, that this will work." Smith hissed in her ear, far too close for comfort. He straightened, yet his rough grip on her hair didn't relent. He took the small device in his other hand, fumbling for a moment before securing his grip on it, positioning it so it lined up with the edge of her GEM and let it latch on to the earring.

The hand in her hair never left, even when Smith turned to begin the process, typing in codes and numbers on the keyboard. A noise of confirmation sounded and Smith released his grip on Shizuru's hair, circling around so that he was standing in front of the woman.

Shizuru's gaze flickered down at his hand, reeling back at the sight of a syringe poised and ready to inject her with whatever vile substance was contained within.

Smith noticed where the woman's gaze was and shrugged. "Well we can't have you thinking or acting freely now, can we?" He told her before plunging the needle into the vein of her neck. "It's nothing personal."

Shizuru opened her mouth to say something, yet found that words no longer obeyed her. Her vision swam, the world shifting as the effects of whatever drug Smith shot her with began to kick in. She found herself staring at bright lights before falling into darkness, feeling as though she were floating, thoughtless and careless.

And then nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II: Aftershocks

Someone was calling out to her. Repeating her name. Each time more frantic than the last. Shizuru kept her eyes closed, refusing to respond. The voice called to her once more, distinguishably female. Her stranger laid a gentle hand on her forehead, brushing aside her fringe. The strangers' lithe fingers were cool against her flushed skin, and Shizuru let out a soft groan.

She peered through squinted eyes, gradually adjusting to the bright flourescents overhead. She moved to sit up, her head throbbing at the motion and felt a firm hand pressing against the small of her back, providing her with support.

The Meister brought a hand to her face, rubbing at her tired eyes with clumsy fingers. Her hand lowered and the woman turned to glance at her stranger, crimson gaze falling on the Tomoe's familiar face. The girl wore a concerned expression as she absentmindedly toyed with the crystal dangling from her ear.

"Viola-oneesama, are you feeling alright?" Tomoe spoke gently, respecting of the overwhelming vertigo that the older woman was experiencing at the moment. The girl offered a cup to the Meister, which Shizuru took graciously, bringing the cup to her lips.

Her movements were stiff, foreign almost. The movements did not feel like her own, and Shizuru furrowed her brow at this sensation. Memories prior to her current situation at present escaped her, and that alone concerned her. She wracked her mind for the memories, calling them forth yet recieving nothing in response. She glanced back at the teal haired girl sitting beside her, and found relief that she still remembered the girl's name.

"Marguerite-san," Shizuru's voice was hoarse and sounded foreign to her own ears. Tomoe straightened in her seat at the sound of her name, casting a curious look at the weakened Meister. "How long?" The question was simple, yet Shizuru hadn't needed to say more for Tomoe to understand perfectly well what the crimson-eyed woman meant.

"Four days." Tomoe gauged the woman's reaction, anticipating for the Meister to finally lose composure, if only for the time being. Instead, Shizuru simply let out a small noise of vexation, nodding to let the girl know that it was a fact, and no amount of violence or protest could change what was done.

A silence fell between the two, dragging on for several minutes until the double doors of the room swung open, drawing the attention of the two Otome. The Grand Duke sauntered into the room, his arrogance rolling from his body in waves. A devious grin spread across his face as he regarded Shizuru.

"Well, I guess Smith's machinery didn't malfunction or anything." He edged closer, brushing Tomoe aside with his arm, taking her place at Shizuru's side. He leaned down, levelling his gaze at the the GEM adorning her ear. He moved to study the Cursed Obsidian dangling from the original piece of technology and Shizuru felt her breath hitch in her throat at the sudden proximity.

"Smith did a good job." Nagi commented, turning the crystal between his thumb and index finger before letting it fall. The Grand Duke seated himself, supporting his arms on his knees as he looked at Shizuru, studying her with a morbid and unsettling curiosity. Shizuru suppressed a shudder and kept her eyes forward, not daring to look down at the vile boy. Nagi shifted, turning to address Tomoe.

"Marguerite," His words were venemous and his pale eyes narrowed dangerously as the girl straightened. "Leave Meister Shizuru to rest for now." Tomoe nodded in compliance, bowing as she exited the room.

Nagi kept his gaze focused on the spot where the teal haired girl stood moments ago, before turning back to Shizuru. His sneer left the blood in Shizuru's veins to turn cold, a heavy weight gathering in the pit of her stomach. There was a dull ache forming in her arms, rippling through sinew and muscle. Shizuru shifted from the discomforting sensation.

"When Smith sedated you last night, he injected an antigen, if you will, that overrides the Otome nanomachines in your bloodstream. They do not corrode the nanomachines inside you, instead the antigen merely ensures that free will is no longer yours to command."

The sense of trepidation that had been lurking in the back of the Meister's mind manifested itself with full force. Shizuru blanched, a wave of nausea overcoming her body briefly as Nagi's explanation caught up with her lagging mind, comprehension dawning and outwardly showing on her face. Nagi gave a sharp laugh, no doubt delighting in the panicked look on the Otome's face.

"Oh don't worry," Nagi placed his pointer finger to the underside of Shizuru's chin, tilting her head back so that they were met eye to eye. "Your body remains yours until the time comes. You'll see tomorrow how the antigens have been put to use prior to this new experiment."

He gave another one of his venomous smiles before turning on his heel and striding away, leaving the woman with nothing except for the sound of her own rapidly beating heart and the grim reality that her life had just been significantly altered and manipulated.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

Natsuki contemplated the present situation, which, if her information was correct, had been growing steadily bleaker with each passing day. It hadn't been long since the coup and already severe changes had taken place. The Windbloom castle was no longer recognizable. It had been reconstructed so that the godforsaken cannon that had taken out the Founder's system stood proud, like a statue erected in honor of a hero, and loomed over the city.

Green eyes scoured the city, her eye catching the trail of smoke pluming from a slum. No doubt another one that Nagi had ordered destruction upon. Natsuki made a sound of derision, turning from the crumbling structure of WindbloomCcity.

The blue haired woman let out a sigh, her eyes slipping shut and a hand pinching the bridge of her nose. The pressures of the events were weighing heavily on her shoulders and the fact that they still had yet to devise a plan was another factor adding to her anxiety.

She needed Shizuru with her; she missed being at her side and she yearned to hear the soft words of comfort and advice that the other woman would often provide her with when the stress of being an Otome as well as the Headmistress of Garderobe weighed too heavily on her shoulders.

Shizuru, who had willingly remained at Garderobe knowing that she would not be free. The Meister Otome regarded Natsuki's safety with a higher respect than her own safety. A pang of guilt tore at Natsuki's mind for leaving the other woman behind. Yet Shizuru had insisted that Natsuki escape.

A rough hand came down on her shoulder, jostling the blue haired woman and pulling her from her thoughts. Natsuki turned to look at her company, deep green meeting a paler emerald and a smirk bordering on arrogance.

"Don't think too hard, mutt." Nao clapped her hand against Natsuki's back, jostling the woman once more. "I don't think Shizuru would forgive you if you overworked that brain of yours."

"Shut up, Nao." Natsuki grumbled out in protest, turning her gaze back to the worn wooden table that her arms rested on. "I don't exactly need your snark right now."

Nao didn't respond, instead opting to throw a thin paper was down in front of her. Natsuki levelled a questioning glance at the red haired woman. "Well, open it."

Natsuki glared at the woman, yet took the paper in her hands, skimming over the contents of the first page. She flipped the thin paper, poring over the article inside. Her brow furrowed as she read further down the article. "Nagi Dai Artai has just announced plans of a new experiment taking place?"

"Yeah, and that's not all." Nao took the newspaper from her hands, filing through several pages until stopping, placing the document back into Natsuki's hands. "They're apparently using the Otome held hostage as prototypes for their experiment. Rumor has it that your lover is one of the prototypes."

Natsuki let out a strangled noise, hands slamming down on the table. "What?" She whipped around to face Nao, her eyes wide and her heart hoping that what Nao was saying wasn't true. "That's impossible...they don't have the technology."

Nao scoffed, arms folding across her chest and a grim expression settling onto her face. "Correction, they didn't have the technology. Schwarz found a way to apparently create an antigen to the nanomachines. You've seen those Valkyrie suits, you know they took out the Founder's core." Nao cracked an eye, looking down at the blue haired woman. "You can't deny it, Natsuki."

And Nao was right. Painfully so, as much as Natsuki hated to admit. Her suspicions and her fears were confirmed, which settled unease in the pit of her stomach. She grit her teeth, fisting her hands tight enough for her knuckles to lose their color. Short nails dug into the tender skin of her palm, leaving crescents imprinted in her flesh. She glowered at the empty space in front of her, frustration reaching it's limits.

"Bastards." She spat, her words harsh and strained. "We can't risk waiting much longer. Nao, let the others know that we'll be meeting tonight. We need to have a plan and we need it to happen smoothly. We can't afford mistakes."

Nao nodded, exiting from the room and leaving the former Garderobe headmistress to her thoughts. Natsuki rose from her seat, striding over to stand at the window, arms clasped loosely behind her back and a solemn expression lining her features as she allowed her eyes to rove over the darkening world. She sighed, letting her shoulders drop in a temporary reprieve from her stress, and prayed that Shizuru was safe.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

It had been hours since Nagi had left Shizuru to her thoughts, and the woman had yet to move from her position on the bed. The dull ache in her muscles had intensified over the hours, coming in periodic waves of intense pain. In these hours the Meister had resigned herself to the task of contemplating the perplexing series of events that had transpired within the past two days.

Shizuru found her memories to be flawed, disparities in details of significant events or memories that were altogether not there. Whether the inconsistincies were results of the antigens or a calculated design was unbeknownst to the Meister, who, for the time being, had set aside the concerning issue and instead elected to focus solely on the role in this ill-omened orchestration that she found herself cursed with.

The young Meister disentangled sore limbs from the silken sheets of the bed, the bare soles of her feet coming into contact with the cold tile of the floor, recoiling out of reflex before settling firmly on the polished surface. Shizuru remained at the edge, allowing for the brief vertigo to pass before rising from the mattress.

The Meister took several tentative steps, legs wavering from her state of prolonged immobility. She steeled herself, inhaling sharply and focusing on the motions that had once been so second nature to her. Her body felt both leaden and weightless as she moved, re-learning the gait and poise, as if a stranger in another's body.

The feeling of helplessness was uncommon to the Meister, having had learned early on the privileges and advantages that came with being an Otome. Her mother had supported her the day she went to her parents with her request, her father had dismissed the notion altogether, the argument that the world was a place more cruel than her own worst imaginings.

That hadn't stopped her, though, and Shizuru would begrudgingly resign herself to the feeling of weakness.

But knowing that her state of weakness resulted from an act of manipulation, that her will as a human had been violated and tainted without her consent-not that she would've given it otherwise-was the source for Shizuru's frustration and distress.

She strode across the polished floor, the sensation in her legs returning slowly and her mind catching up with her motions. Shizuru padded across the room on silent feet, pausing in front of the wardrobe, one hand resting against the smoothe oak of the door. Her hand clasped around the brass handle, gently turning it and opening the doors of the armoire. Several sets of the same, monotonous outfit met her gaze, and Shizuru recognized them as altered versions of her own outfit.

The style paralleled the harsher design that she had seen on Tomoe, the lavender cloth she had grown fond of over the years was instead stained by a darker variant of violet-red. Shizuru ran slender fingers over the fabric, surprised by how similar the cloth felt to her own standard wear.

She cast a disdainful look at the scant robe she had been dressed in, ultimately deciding that, however much she didn't favor the new attire she was to wear, it would be a far cry better than what she was currently standing in.

The Meister discarded the scant garment, letting it drop to the floor around her ankles. Crimson eyes regarded the reflection in the mirror, studying the same curve of her hips, the same slender legs and toned arms.

Her physical appearance hadn't changed, aside from the insignificant scars etched into the skin in various areas and the shadows cast beneath her eyes. Shizuru frowned, averting her gaze as she pulled the garment from the wardrobe and began working the zipper down the length of the fabric.

She drew the dress over head, letting it fall naturually so that it came to rest level with her knees. Careful fingers worked with the fabric of the dress' sash, working it into a meticulously knotted bow. Shizuru twisted one arm behind her back, grabbing hold of the zipper and directing it upwards, securing the outfit in place. She glanced at the mirror, a part of her not wanting to see her outward appearance, especially now that she was clad in the enemy's attire, a literal wolf in sheep's clothing.

The Meister gathered the pair of black boots, gripping them loosely between thumb and forefinger and setting them down in front of her. She knelt, sliding the boots over her feet and lacing them with ease, adjusting the straps that adorned the tops.

Shizuru straightened, smoothing creases from her dress and brushing invisible dust from her palms. She risked glancing at the mirror, cardinal irises analyzing the woman that stood, reflected in the pristine glass, before her. She was a stranger with her face, her eyes; a stranger who bore the same exact scar, thin and delicate on the underside of her left jaw; who tempered her own resolute gaze with one much more sinister.

Shizuru grimaced at her inner musings, brow furrowing as she realized just how insecure her thoughts had turned. She turned her back on the mirror, letting the turmoil in her mind settle. The Meister crossed over to the window, drawing back the thick curtain with one hand, and peered out into the darkening sky, the faintest gleam of stars filtering through the city's smog.

The woman closed her eyes, a forlorn sigh escaping her lips, as she thought back to Natsuki. Her heart was still restless whenever it came to the other woman, and Shizuru hoped that no misfortune had befallen her lover or the other escapees, for that matter. Bowing her head, Shizuru let the slightly flushed skin of her forehead rest against the cool glass pane of the window, bringing her temporary relief.

A knock at the door roused her from her worried thoughts, and Shizuru brought her head back up, casting a look over her shoulder. The doors swung open, the guards allowing Tomoe to enter the room. Shizuru watched from the corner of her eye as the younger Otome faltered, taking a moment to allow her eyes to rove over her figure, before shifting like a child caught stealing.

"Viola-oneesama," Tomoe's voice barely rose over a whisper, the clarity it usually held obstructed by her blatant lust towards the Meister. She gave a muffled cough before speaking again. "The outfit suits you."

At this, Shizuru turned to regard the younger girl, a false smile spreading across her lips as she advanced towards the younger girl.

"Tomoe-san is very kind." Shizuru brushed her index finger against the curve of Tomoe's cheek, letting it pause to rest underneath the girl's chin. "Although, I am curious, why is Marguerite-san visiting me at such a time?"

Shizuru's hand left the girl's face, instead opting to rest against her own cheek, a pose of hers that she often assumed when she meant to imply mock contemplation.

"The Grand Duke sent me to check on you, oneesama. He wants a full report on your statistics, if the antigens are a discomfort, and if you are feeling more recovered." Tomoe explained, laying a hand to rest on her other arm.

"Tell Nagi that I am recovering faster than even I expected." Her answer was vague, but seemed to be enough to satisfy Tomoe, as the girl merely nodded her head. Shizuru returned to her position at the window, her back to the girl and her eyes roving over the night sky.

"Shall I leave you for the night, oneesama?" Tomoe asked, her voice tentative and her words laced with a crestfallen undertone.

"If you don't mind." The response was simple and to the point and Tomoe could only nod before wordlessly exiting, sparing a fleeting glance at her former mentor's back before the doors closed.

The click of the lock behind her let her know that there was no escape now. Shizuru steadied her gaze at the dim lights below the palace, noting how they seemed much more dim than usual and that the world seemed too quiet, too vast, and that notion alone sent an unease through her veins.

A storm was not far off on the horizon, and Shizuru prayed that the storm would pass and the world would fall back into a state of contentment. But those were just prayers, hopes for an unguided future, and like many things, Shizuru had the daunting feeling that those hopes would prove to be wrong.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III: A Display of Divine Power

Shizuru found herself awake in the earliest hours of the morning, her nerves jittery and she found it difficult to ease her senses. She had gone from pacing to wearing away the skin on her thumb with the nail of her index finger to gazing out the window at the rising sun, colors dusted with the pollution of factories and the stagnant air of political corruption.

Her crimson eyes were fixed on an interesting scene unfolding below, down in the city streets. Several soldiers were bearing down on a groupd of individuals, no doubt from the slums, with their batons and their fists. Shizuru's nose crinkled with disgust towards the violent actions of the military dogs, cursing Nagi in her mind for ruining the peace of Windbloom and overtaking Garderobe. She damned him for taking her life, her body, and tainting it with his abominable antigens.

Shizuru wondered just how many other prototypes there were and who they were. She had heard of the Valkyries, that their ability to wear Robe came from the diamond that adorned their left ears.

The same diamond that now adorned her left ear, wired to her original GEM in order to garner full control over her actions while in Robe. The mere notion caused unease to spread throughout the Meister, and Shizuru pulled her arms closer to her body, coiling around her midsection in a secure embrace.

The sun had drifted further into the sky, breaking past the smog of the city and casting dim rays, filtering through the glass of the window and casting shadows on the woman's pale skin. The soft light from the sky belied the true state of the city, the collapsing social order and the corrupted government power that had taken reign.

The doors to her room opened behind her, and Shizuru turned to regard her visitor. The Meister found herself unsurprised when she saw who her guest was. She remained expressionless, levelling a glare at the Grand Duke. She regarded the boy with a sharp tone. "Nagi, you're up rather earlier, aren't you?"

The boy scoffed, a condescending smirk on his face. "You're one to talk, Shizuru Viola." Nagi circled the woman, scrutinizing the outfit and placing a hand to his chin.

"I suppose so." Shizuru's response was curt, biting and not without malice. "May I ask why you are here?" The question echoed in crimson eyes narrowed at the Grand Duke, who merely responded with his typical vague smirk.

"Simply to tell you that we require your presence in the training arena, Otome. We're running analysis on the performance of the antigens when in direct contact with the bloodstream." The explanation was simple, yet the underlying implications were much more sinister than the boy led on. Shizuru merely nodded, remaining silent as she did not know what reaction her response would elicit if she voiced them.

"Then we shall see you in a two hours. Don't be late." Shizuru merely responded with a nod, her gaze never leaving the form of the boy as he strode from the room.

The Meister spent the remainder of her time watching the city from her window, finding that it was much more comfortable to stand, leaning with her arms balanced on the wood of the windowsill and and one leg stretched behind her, letting the other relax against the surface of the wall. She found her interest peak when soldiers stormed yet another slum, setting fire to the rundown shacks that those civilians called home. A scowl spread across the woman's face as she watched the smoke plume, hardly believing that, in the span of a mere four days, Nagi had turned the reasonably civil Windbloom city into a hellhole, tainted by their lies and their depraved standards of social order.

Shizuru found herself committing more time than she ever had before pleading to an unknown deity that she doubted even fully existed. She had never been one for devout prayer, yet it had proved to be a better alternative to wallowing in self-pity. She found herself worrying about the wellbeing of her lover, yearning for the soft looks that Natsuki would often send her during conferences, for the subtle brush of Natsuki's hand over her own, slightly calloused fingers.

Yet while Shizuru truly did miss the blue haired woman, she was equally as greedy and selfish in her hopes that Natsuki was indeed working on some kind of plan, infallable or not, to reclaim Garderobe and rescue her before she resigned herself to the role of Nagi's pawn and ultimately, his weapon.

The Meister ran a delicate hand through her hair, fingers working to detangle several strands that had somehow twisted together over the course of the night. Thin strands fell loose, and Shizuru gathered them on her fingers, toying with them before letting them fall to the ground. Shizuru made a small noise of derision, straightening and turning from the window. Perhaps she would play the role that Nagi wanted her to fulfill, at least, for the time being or until her morality became so far gone that she truly became an enemy of all that she stood for.

Either way, Shizuru knew the cost of playing this morbid little game was high, and that even one miscalculation could land her in an even more complex and dangerous situation than she was currently involved in. The Meister also knew that the chances for extending her life and purpose relied on how well she played to the whims of the Grand Duke, the implications being that she obeyed commands without question, without hesitation. Her younger self would've worked to devise a plan to avoid conflict, and she had been taught that waging war against fire using fire resulted in bloodshed and further violence.

Yet the standards were different from the hypothetical situations she had jotted down during her lessons as a Garderobe student. The scenarios did not apply the cruel reality of the world; they never took into consideration the varying degrees of manipulation and foul play that went into a game of strategy, manipulation, and deceit. Shizuru let her eyes slip shut briefly, casting aside the ways in which this plan of hers could backfire. Shizuru straightened her posture, standing at her full height, chin lifted proudly, offset by the slightest undertone of haughtiness, and her countenance demanding respect.

She would allow herself to be used as a weapon-after all, that was the true nature of the Otome.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

Pale eyes watched as soldiers and the Valkyries busied themselves with preparing the arena, transporting obstacles and checking the functionality of the control panel in the Headmistress' platform. Nagi let a sly smile fall into place as he rested his head against the palm of his hand, delighting in the path that his coup was taking. He was pulled from his thoughts when one of the former Coral Otome approached his side, and he sent an expectant look in the girls' direction. She shifted uncomfortably, stumbling over her words before clearing her throat.

"Nagi-sama," the gir's voice wavered when she noticed the twitch in Nagi's eyebrow. "The guards stationed outside of Viola-sama's room sent me to tell you that the Meister is on her way here." The girl bowed deeply and Nagi sighed, shifting from his comfortable position in his chair.

"Early, aren't we?" He muttered under his breath as he rose from the chair that had once belonged to the Queen. He dusted flecks of invisible dirt from his coat, adjusting his scarf and searching the arena's main level for the familiar woman. He caught sight of the Meister, clad in the darker ensemble that had been provided for her. He had to admit, in all honesty, that she fell into the role of a traitor quite well. He regarded Shizuru with a quirk of his eyebrow when the woman paused, looking directly up at the Grand Duke.

Nagi strode past the Coral otome, a flick of his hand signaling that she was free to leave as he rounded the corner. He descended from the balcony, hands clasped behind his back in an imperial manner as he approached the Meister. "So you came earlier than expected. How commendable." His words were intended to aggravate the woman, yet the Shizuru refused to give the young archduke the satisfaction of lashing out and instead forced a thin smile.

"It would be unbecoming to arrive late. Is it not wrong to say that arriving earlier than expected is better than not arriving at all?"

The Grand Duke chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "I suppose truer words have never been spoken, Viola-san." He directed pale eyes at the Otome, silently questioning whether or not she had the nerve to continue with her scathing quips and wittcisms. "While it is rather pleasant to banter with someone like you, who's capable of keeping up, we have matters of importance." Nagi straightened his posture, once again emanating that aura of arrogance. He motioned for Shizuru to follow him as he began to walk.

Shizuru trailed behind the young political figure, eyes never drifting from the back of Nagi's head. She could've easily taken him out, now that she was behind him and within arms reach of his vulnerable side. Yet a single glance at the guards stationed around the outer arena was a clear warning that, if she tried any thing even remotely resembling foul play or betrayal, then she would suffer greatly at the hands of Schwarz. But the prospect was still just as satisfying. She jolted slightly when Nagi suddenly addressed her.

"I've heard of your prowess in the way of Butou, Meister Viola. Friend and foe alike have attested to your nigh-legendary elegance while still wielding a weapon designed to take the lives of others."

Shizuru faltered at his words, eyes widening slightly. It was all starting to make sense to her, the pieces falling into place one by one, revealed little by little, and Shizuru was beginning to understand just how vital she was to Nagi's power driven conquest. The reason she had been taken as a test subject to the loathsome antigens that had been injected into her bloodstream was because of her weapon-based skill and fighting style on the battle ground.

But the Meister didn't inform Nagi of this revelation, instead composing herself once more. "I didn't know that I'm spoken that highly of by those I've faced in battle."

The Duke let out a small noise, regarding the Meister Otome with a curious look, one brow raised as they came to a stop in front of the doors of the waiting area. "I suppose you've realized that you're here so we can see how effective the antigens are in t he bloodstream, compared to the Valkyrie suits." Nagi gestured towards the doors, a silent indicator that told Shizuru to enter the main stage of the arena.

There was no room to negotiate her choices, so Shizuru inhaled deeply, letting her mind ease before she entered the dim corridor that lead to the starting platform.

A scientist stood waiting for her at the end, a clipboard balanced on one hand while a pen was positioned in the other, poised for taking down notes. The scientist nodded briefly at Shizuru, eyes flickering to look at her before darting back to the documents in her hand.

"Before we begin, I ask that you Materialize your Robe, Meister." The scientist requested, tucking the black, ballpoint pen into the front pocket of her shirt and adjusting thick-framed glasses with the tip of her index finger.

Shizuru complied, tucking the strands of hair that rested in front of her GEM behind her ear, fingers grazing over the Cursed crystal dangling from the base of the Amethyst. The Meister called out in a sharp voice. "Materialize."

The familiar noise of the technology activating came as a comfort to Shizuru, who had missed that sound more than she expected. Yet, while the sound remained the same, the sensation of her Robe materializing felt amiss, and the woman concluded that it had to be from the Cursed Obsidian's interference. A brief moment passed and the outfit Shizuru had been wearing was replaced with Robe. The skritching sound of the scientist's pen became mere background noise as Shizuru glanced down, studying the unfamiliar Robe that had materialized.

Much like the change in her wardrobe, the effects of the Cursed Obsidian altered the appearance of her Robe. Instead of the gentle violet, the color scheme was much darker, the Robe itself a deep violet with deeper gold designs. Her right shoulder was covered by a dark red pauldron, extending along the length of her upper arm.

Shizuru found that she rather liked this Robe, however corrupted it might have been. She extended one hand, fingers splayed and a concentrated look on her face, summoning her Element. The same, dual-blade chain sword formed in front of her and she wrapped slender fingers around the hilt, the familiar weight adding to the Meister's sense of comfort.

"Please step onto the starting platform." The scientist instructed, gesturing to the steel platform that extended over the arena.

Shizuru nodded, moving forward and placing one foot on the structure. A voice rang out over the arena. "Experiment number one will commence shortly. Testing of Direct Prototype Antigen. Subject is Meister Shizuru Viola. Opponent will be Pearl Otome Chie Hallard, Valkyrie Unit four."

The Meister looked across the arena, catching sight of the charcoal-haired Pearl Otome. Hallard was clad in the angular Robe of the Cursed Obsidian GEM and an emotionless expression lined the features of her handsome face. The Robe's weapon was a broad halberd. Shizuru cast a disgruntled look at the other Otome, the silent question of why reflecting in her eyes and Shizuru hoped that the other noticed. Chie did, and responded with a pointed look which the Meister interpreted as her saying "because I had to."

Their unspoken conversation was cut off by the man at the control booth, who's wiry frame was hunched over as he adjusted various settings. He took the microphone to his lips, holding it between thumb and forefinger. "Standby for Experiment one. Countdown is ten seconds."

Shizuru directed her gaze at the small screen overhead, watching as the holographic numbers counted down, her heart rate increasing with each increment. She focused her gaze on her temporary opponent, forcing thoughts of hesitation from her mind and relaxing her shoulders, poising her body to attack. A noise signaled for them to begin and Shizuru found herself charging the other woman headfirst, Element poised and ready to strike. The blade of her weapon came down in a swift arc, colliding with the metal platform. Chie evaded the assault, hovering midair, an almost startled look on her face.

The Pearl Otome had witnessed the extent of the Meister's skill in Butou, yet had never faced off against her until now. She generated her own weapon, blocking the woman's second attack, the force of the blow travelling up the length of her arms. Chie let a strained noise slip past her lips, straining against the sheer amount of strength that Shizuru was placing on her attacks. The Meister was known to be strong, elegantly aggressive as some had claimed, yet the Pearl had a feeling that Shizuru, under normal circumstances or if seriously fighting, wouldn't put the amount of effort as she was now.

The Pearl brought down her weapon, which the Meister dodged, letting the blade barely graze the side of her face. They both paused, a break in their dance, and idled backs to each other. A warm wetness beaded on the surface of Shizuru's skin. It had been a lucky and unintended hit, but Shizuru had to hand it to the other Otome. It wasn't an easy thing to physically land a hit on the Meister. Shizuru traced the thin cut on her cheek, pulling her fingers, stained by her own blood, away and studying them before turning back to the Valkyrie.

The Meister gripped her weapon with both hands, and the two blades separated. She swung one, letting the blade extend into its whipchain form, colliding into Chie's side and flinging the other woman into a wall. A cloud of dust and debris rose from the impact and Chie collapsed to the ground, balancing on one knee. Her eyes drifted upwards as the Meister landed in front of her, the tip of her blade mere inches from the tip of her nose.

Shizuru knelt, one hand clenched the gorget protecting the woman's neck and pulled the charcoaled hair woman close. The Meister brought her lips to Chie's ear. "Forgive me, Hallard." She released the other woman, standing straight and regarded the Pearl Otome with crimson eyes, turning to level a glare at the Grand Duke.

Nagi was positively elated at the outcome of the experiment. He was a at the railing, an unnerving grin on his pale face as he glanced down at the Meister. "Wonderful, Shizuru Viola-san." He let out a wild little laugh. "As expected, the antigens are working like they ought to."He took a moment to gather himself, exhaling slowly as he quelled his laughter and gave a small wave of his hand. "You can take your leave, Meister."

Shizuru kept her glare focused on the boy, nodding briefly as she flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder before turning to exit the arena.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

The antigens in her system had returned to their normal state, no longer giving her the rush of adrenaline or heightened senses that she felt during her Butou. She brought a hand to her cheek, running the tips of her fingers over the scratch on her cheek. It had been her own fault, she hadn't been paying close enough attention to the other Otome.

Her robe had dematerialized and Shizuru was once again clad in the dress that had been provided to her. Her boots echoed in the empty corridor as she made the path back to her room. Another set of shoes accompanied her own, and Shizuru turned to see who her unknown company was.

The Meister found herself unsurprised by the approaching figure of Tomoe Marguerite, who was taking brisk strides to catch up.  
"Oneesama," Tomoe addressed the older woman, giving her a small smile as she slowed her pace. "I saw your Butou with Hallard." They began walking down the corridor, silent and standing nearly shoulder to shoulder.

"Nagi-sama informed the Valkyries that two Meister Otome are siding with us." Tomoe's attempt at idle chatter drew the interest of Shizuru, who straightened at hearing this information. Tomoe didn't notice the change in the Meister's posture, continuing to speak. "Laula Bianchi and Rosalie Claudel have agreed to become Prototypes for the antigen."

The Meister remained wordless, keeping her eyes focused on the teal haired girl as they walked. She found it interesting that those two had willingly resigned themselves to the same fate that had been forced upon her. Then again, Laula was of Lutesia Remus and served the Queen, while Rosalie was of Florince and served the King.

Shizuru surmised that the leaders of the two nations had signed a binding contract with the Grand Duke, allying their nations with Artai, and therefore allying their Otome.

"Viola-oneesama, allow me to escort you to your room?" Tomoe's words held a childish hope, gray eyes practically begging her to say yes. Shizuru sighed, a weary smile spreading across her lips as she looked at the young woman. She remembered how she told Tomoe that she saw her younger self in the girl, based on the obsessive nature of her admiration that was directed at her and none too subtly.

The Meister could admit to almost feeling guilty about continuously tempting the girl, yet her penchance for doing just that outweighed any sliver of guilt that she felt. Shizuru ran a slender finger down the girl's cheek, a feather-light touch that elicited a blush from the Coral Otome. "While that is very kind of Marguerite-san, I wish to be left with my thoughts for the time being. It has been," Shizuru paused, searching for the right word. "A long day." She gave the young girl a brief smile before drawing her hand from the girl's cheek and striding in the direction of her quarters.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

"Alright, we've got a basic strategy laid out now. That should make things a little easier from here onwards." Natsuki's words were laced with an undertone of seriousness as she studied the papers laid out on the table. Green eyes glanced upwards, surveying the reactions of those gathered around her. She spotted Nao, who stood with one hip cocked and her arms crossed over her chest, a contemplative look on her face.

"So you're suggesting we rally the troops, wait for the ideal moment, and then storm the castle head on?" Nao scoffed, rolling her eyes before directing them at the blue haired woman.

Natsuki scowled at the redhead's nerve, emerald eyes narrowing at the Otome. "Well, if you've got a better plan, I'd love to hear it." That had worked to silence the snarky woman, who quelled her snickering and averted her gaze.

Natsuki opened her mouth once more when one of her students, Irina Wood, approached her, leaning to whisper something in the blue haired woman's ear. Natsuki nodded several times in confirmation, brow furrowing slightly as the girl relayed whatever news she had to tell. Natsuki straightened, thanking the girl quietly before turning back to the others.

Nao let out an impatient noise as she looked at Natsuki. "Well?"

"Meisters Laula Bianchi and Rosalie Claudel have willingly agreed to side with Nagi." Murmurs erupted amongst the small group gathered around the table and Natsuki pressed her fingers the bridge of her nose. The green eyed woman wondered what it was that Nagi was planning, wracking her brain for any overlooked bits of information that the young Duke might have revealed about himself on the occassions she had interacted with him.

Natsuki shook her head, reminding herself that the behavior of the boy was of little importance, and instead turned her focus on asking why he would need Meister Otome. Several minutes passed until something struck her. It was highly possible that the use of antigens of the Prototypes, as well as the Valkyrie Robes that he had produced, correlated to one another. Schwarz would've found a way to create the antigen using the results of the False Founder and the Cursed Obsidian GEMs that the Valkyries wore.

"He's creating an army..." Natsuki muttered, green eyes going wide at the sudden realization.

"What?" Nao questioned the muttering woman, leaning on one arm as she breached the blue haired woman's personal space. Natsuki jolted at the unexpected closeness of the other woman.

"Nagi's planning on creating an army of Valkyries." Natsuki grabbed hold of Nao, an abrupt action that startled the younger redhead. The blue haired woman faltered, her excitement giving way to a mild frown. She loosened her grip on Nao's shoulders.

Nagi would build his army, have his army fight against them, and then what? Natsuki wasn't so sure and found discomfort in that fact. Her thoughts drifted to Shizuru, wondering how the woman she cared about was faring in her situation and if the Meister was playing the risky game Nagi was setting up. It seemed a very likely thing for Shizuru to do, and that alone worried Natsuki. The crimson eyed woman was a loyal Otome and would never defect. Yet this situation wasn't average; the Meister had been injected by Nagi's antigens and was dancing a thin line, no doubt playing in a way that would result in having Nagi place his trust in her duties as the deceitful Otome who went against all that she stood for.

Natsuki knew that Shizuru was intelligent and more than capable of playing this manipulative game, yet a hint of doubt lingered in her mind. She felt guilty for thinking so, but there still remained the slim possibility that the Meister could truly defect from their side. While her lover was normally composed and level-headed, Natsuki knew firsthand that, if enough pressure was applied, the walls around the woman would inevitably crumble, leaving her vulnerable. If Natsuki had to answer what the Meister's major flaw was she would be obliged to say that it was the woman's inability to cope with feeling vulnerable.

Moments of insecurity or vulnerability in the crimson eyed woman were dangerous. If Nagi drove her to such extremes, then the results would be devastating. The Meister had a certain proclivity for retaliating without first thinking things through. Natsuki remained confident still, not letting the minor doubts overshadow the more realistic notion. Shizuru was far too loyal to Garderobe and to her to truly turn her back on the Otome. At least, Natsuki hoped her judgment of her lover was correct.

But the headmistress refused to let her internal troubles get in the way of their plans to liberate Garderobe and Windbloom City from the corrupt reign of Nagi. She cast those thoughts to the corners of her mind, for reference later on, and resumed her role of leadership.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV: Battle Amongst Otome

Shizuru woke at the same hour, peering past the heavy curtains that fell over her windows to stare down at the ever-changing city of Windbloom. More slums had been the victims of burnings-down, meaning that more civilians were left roaming the streets before being banished to the unforgiving lands outside of the city. Shizuru scowled at the misfortune caused by Nagi's hand. Her fingers tapped out a vague tune on the glass as she mulled over the previous day's events.

The Meister's thoughts turned to her blue haired lover, crimson eyes sliding shut as she exhaled slowly. She missed the touch of the other woman, missed those spare glances with each passing day. Shizuru knew that their separation was hopefully temporal, yet if things persisted like this, then the chances of reuniting were growing much more slim. If she kept dancing with her morality on the line, her morality as the price she would pay if she slipped up, of Nagi's twisted game, then all chances would be shot. Shizuru knew that she was laying her life, as well as her trust with Natsuki, on the line just for this one objective.

She prayed that Natsuki would find it in her to forgive her after the storm had weathered. But Shizuru doubted that the situation would push her to drastic actions. She doubted that her morality and the decision she chose would crumble so severely.

The soft click of her door opening announced the arrival of her uninvited guest. The girl's presence every morning had eventually ceased to disrupt Shizuru from her early morning thoughts, and the woman remained rooted to her place at the window, silent and her crimson gaze still bearing down on the corrupt city.

"Oneesama," Tomoe addressed the woman softly, pausing a few feet away to allow the Meister her space. "Nagi-sama has requested you meet with him today, as soon as you have prepared youself."

Shizuru remained silent, letting Tomoe's words register in her mind. She nodded slightly, never letting her focus stray from the streets below her. A small faction of socldiers caught her attention, and her gaze shifted to them. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed them approach a group of children, reprimanding them for their actions before threatening them with the promise of harm if they didn't comply with their orders.

Her gaze wavered and the Meister turned from the scene unfolding down below. She meet Tomoe's gray eyes, noticing the flush spreading across the girl's pale skin. Shizuru offered Tomoe a small smile, one that never quite reached her eyes when it came to the Coral Otome standing before her.

"Tomoe-san is very kind for caring for me. Did Nagi-sama say the reason for wanting to see me?" Shizuru edged closer to the girl, bridging the space between their bodies, yet never quite touching.

"N-no, Shizuru-oneesama. He merely requested that I tell you he wishes for you to meet with him." Tomoe stuttered, no doubt because of the Meister's sudden and close proximity with her. She felt her breath quicken when the Meister brought a slender hand up, fingers brushing through the teal strands that framed her face.

Shizuru withdrew her hand, letting it rest at her side. "Thank you, Marguerite-san." The Meister strode over to the wardrobe, letting her hand rest on the polished knob of the door. "It would be rude to make the Grand Duke wait, if you don't mind..." Shizuru's message was clear, and Tomoe nodded, bowing as she exited from the room, allowing for the Meister to ready herself.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

"The Bewitching Amethyst seems to have adjusted quite well to the antigens, my lord." Smith set the report on the Meister next to Nagi, inclining his head slightly out of respect. "Here are her results from yesterday. I think you'll be impressed by them."

The Grand Duke took the folder in his hand, flipping back the front cover and filing through the ream of paper. A smirk grew on his face as he pored over the results. A delighted laugh came forth as the pale haired boy threw his head back. "These results are ridiculous!" He brought a hand to rub at his face, peals of laughter still wracking his body. "Ah, I commend you, Smith. You've truly done well." He smirked at his balding accomplice, pale eyes glinting.

Nagi picked the results back up, skimming over them once more. "Enhanced speed, endurance, and skill in Butou. Heightened senses and reflexes, a boost in stamina. All of these attributes without causing harm on the Otome's body. Splendid." Nagi clasped his hands beneath his chin, mulling the results over in his head.

The Meister seemed less inclined to double-cross him, which he was admittedly surprised by. No longer the struggling hostage from earlier, Nagi found the Meister's change in attitude of mild concern, pushing it to the back of his mind. If the woman was willing to side with him, then so be it. He wouldn't question the lucky hand that fate had dealt him. The young Duke was pulled from his thoughts when the Meister cleared her throat, announcing her presence.

"You called, Grand Duke?" Shizuru questioned, her crimson eyes trained on the form of the Grand Duke. Her eyes narrowed when she realized that the boy had seated himself on the Queen's throne and she found herself restraining from spilling every accusation that threatened to slip past her lips.

"Prompt as usual, Shizuru-san." Nagi looked down at her from his high perch, letting the Meister know that he was higher than she. "To start, I want to commend you for your performance yesterday. The results were outstanding. Second, I see no harm has been done to impair you from Butou today." The Grand Duke snapped his fingers and two figures stepped forward.

Shizuru's eyes widened when she recognized them, then remembered the information that Tomoe had let slip. The Meister looked up from her lower position at the two Otome who stood at Nagi's left hand, both bearing the Cursed GEM that adorned her own ear.

"I believe you three are acquaintances?" Nagi spoke in a nonchalant tone, almost bored as he waved a lazy hand at both Laula and Rosalie. "These two have been so kind as to willingly undergo the same Prototype as you, Shizuru-san."

The Meister felt her jaw clench at the loose way the Duke spoke her name, remaining silent as she watched the two Otome. "Laula-san...Rosalie-san..." Shizuru muttered, astonishment evident in her words.

"Shizuru-oneesama." Laula regarded the Meister with an aloof nod and that characteristic stony look in her violet eyes.

Nagi remained silent as he watched the exchange between the three Otome, a curious glint in his pale eyes as he rested his cheek on one hand. "Well, as interesting as this is, I suppose that we should get on to business. Why wait until later?" He rose from his seat, smoothing the fabric of his overcoat. "We're conducting another test run on the antigens, but between Prototypes." He descended from the platform, his boots echoing in the throne room.

The other two Otome followed wordlessly and obediently, passing by Shizuru without a second glance. Shizuru narrowed her eyes at their retreating backs, remaining rooted to the spot before following suit.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

"Please Materialize." The same scientist from before addressed Shizuru, her eyes remaining trained on the clipboard in her hand.

Shizuru nodded, flicking the hair from her left ear. "Materialize!" The familiar light surrounded her and the Meister stood, clad in her altered Robe. The scientist nodded for Shizuru to step onto the platform, jotting down a few final notes before the Meister entered the arena.

Shizuru spotted Laula and Rosalie standing atop the other platform, both clad in their Robes and turning their Elements over in their hands. They paused their actions, sparing a quick glance at the Meister, before turning to each other, no doubt exchanging words of a private conversation.

Shizuru kept a watchful eye on the other Otome before turning to regard Nagi. He had approached the microphone, leaning on both hands as he peered out over the arena. "We begin experiment two, with Meister Shizuru Viola facing against Meisters Laula Bianchi and Rosalie Claudel." His pale gaze flickered to the holographic countdown, a sly smile on his face as he watched the numbers decrease. "Begin."

Shizuru's opponents dashed forward, throwing the Meister off-balance as they both swun their weapons simultaneously. Shizuru dodged both attacks, retaliating by swinging her blade into Laula's exposed side, throwing the other woman into the ground below. The Meister blocked an incoming attack, locking weapons with her blonde adversary.

"You have some nerve, Claudel-san. I don't see why you would willingly choose this fate." Shizuru hissed through clenched teeth, the muscles in her arms straining against the force that Rosalie was putting on her weapon.

"Because it's our obligation as Otome." Rosalie responded, breaking from Shizuru and edging back as her partner came careening towards the Bewitching Amethyst, slamming into Shizuru's back and sending her towards a wall.

The Meister struggled to get her bearings again, extending her blade so that it wrapped around one of the thin columns. She felt the velocity with which she was travelling decrease and came to a stop mere inches from the wall. She balanced her feet on the surface before propelling forward, weapon angled to strike. The blade of her weapon connected with Rosalie's torso, throwing the blonde woman into her partner and sending them both towards the arena wall.

The duo collided with the wall before collapsing to the solid ground beneath them, groaning from the impact. Fighting another Meister Otome was easy, yet fighting against a Column Otome was an entirely different story. They had known going into this fight that facing Shizuru would be difficult; they had seen the Bewitching Amethyst fight before, and there was no doubting her prowess in Butou. But the woman's skill had been enhanced tenfold by the antigens and although they had also been injected with the same antigen their strength remained lower than Shizuru's.

Laula rose from her position on the ground, standing while levelling her glare at the hovering Meister. The Otome was readying for another attack, yet a slow clapping from the stands interrupted them. The three of them turned to look at Nagi, who stood with a smug look on his face as he praised them with a slow, condescending clap.

"As fun as it is, watching Otome beat each other senseless, I'm afraid that your Butou is over. We can't have you killing one another, can we?" Nagi smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "You're dismissed. I'll have some of the Valkyries escort you back to your rooms." He paused, sparing a quick once-over of Laula and Rosalie. "And the medical team."

Shizuru landed on the ground, dematerializing as she turned to exit. The Meister was halted by Nagi's voice over the microphone. "Not quite yet, Shizuru Viola-san. I have things of importance to discuss with you." Shizuru turned back to regard the young Duke, a scowl on her face.

"Shizuru-san, I'm concerned about where your loyalties lie." Nagi eyed her with a morbid curiosity, sly grin spreading on his face as he noticed the tension in the Meister's posture. "My sources say that those who fled have become the underground insurgents, working to reclaim your precious school. I presume you know that your beloved Headmistress is among those rebels?"

Shizuru bit her tongue, feeling the skin rupture and the raw taste of copper over her tongue. "I was unaware that an uprising has been formed." Shizuru spoke through clenched teeth, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the Grand Duke.

"So be it, but know that if I hear word of you even trying to reach members of that insurgence, I will make it so that harm comes to any Otome involved." Nagi's eyes held a dangerous glint as he sneered down at Shizuru, a wicked grin playing wildly on his face.

Shizuru found that grin unsettling, frightening even, yet couldn't look away. The Meister closed her eyes briefly, apologizing for the actions she was being forced to take. She dropped to one knee, prostrating before the Grand Duke. "Understood, Nagi-sama." The words were bitter on her tongue as she willingly turned her loyalty over to the greedy hand of Nagi.

From his perch above, Nagi kept his eyes on the kneeling woman, his chest swelling with an overwhelming sense of victory. Not only had two Meister Otome already sworn loyalty, but he now had the Third Column bowing before him. A sudden wind pulled at his hair. The storm aas fast approaching, yet Nagi could sense victory-his victory- on the horizon.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

The fading sun cast its gentle light over the surface of the water filling the fountain. Slender fingers skimmed the still surface, breaking the smoothe stillness with ripples, as Shizuru bent over the edge of the fountain. Thoughts of earlier filtered through her mind and the Meister grit her teeth, lips pulled back in a small snarl.

Her anger wasn't directed at anybody except for herself. It had been her own foolish decision to betray Garderobe, to betray Natsuki, and overall, to betray her country. And she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

She supposed that after this was over and done with she would be kept in the holding cells once more while legal issues regarding her status were discussed, she would be given a trial, and then she could just explain her choices to Natsuki afterwards. As if it were that easy. Shizuru certainly wished it were, but life was never that simple. There were always complications, and betraying her loved one and her country were large complications.

Shizuru let out a stressed sigh, rising from the edge of the fountain and brushing away any dirt from her dress. She studied the sky, standing still in the silence of the courtyard. It would've been peaceful had there not been evidence of the coup that had yet to be repaired. The Meister began to leave the courtyard, wind pulling at her hair as she climbed the steps and the stone surface of the railing cold against her palm.

Another set of boots trailed behind her, yet the sound fell upon deaf ears. Shizuru, too caught up in her thoughts, jolted when the hand of the stranger came down on her shoulder. A sharp gasp escaped from her lips and the Meister whirled around, poised to attack, with her arms held in front of her, before she relaxed, recognizing the aged face and hawklike, piercing green eyes.

"Miss Maria." Shizuru breathed out, steadying her rapid heartbeat. "You startled me."

"So I noticed, Viola-san." The elder's response was straightforward and a bit scathing as she narrowed her eyes at the younger woman. The elder Otome caught sight of the Cursed GEM, scowling almost immediately. "So you've become one of them." It was a more of a statement, one that brought everything that had happened up till now to Shizuru's mind.

The young Meister averted her gaze, bowing her head as if ashamed. "It wasn't by choice."

"Perhaps not, but now you are willingly serving the Grand Duke of Artai, or am I mistaken?" Miss Maria countered, edging closer to the younger woman.

Shizuru made to protest, yet paused, the words dying in her throat before she ever spoke them. She resigned herself to her surrender, shoulders falling with the faintest hint of dismay. Her brow furrowed as she contemplated the woman's words, the truth that lurked behind the simple accusation. Miss Maria had confirmed what Shizuru had not yet accepted-the truth of her deciet finally dawned on the Meister.

"So be it." Shizuru's voice barely rose above a whisper as she narrowed her eyes at the older woman standing before her. "But I am not as changed as you think me to be. What I have resigned myself to is out of necessity. Drastic? Perhaps, but if it means lending more time to those not held captive here, then I'm willing to do what I must."

Tension settled between the two Meister, heavy in the silence. Crimson bore into emerald, unspoken words clashing violently. Miss Maria relented first, an obvious look of disdain and perhaps even disappointment crossing her features. "I hope you are not mistaken, Shizuru Viola."

The younger woman remained silent, merely nodding her head to let the her mentor know that her words hadn't been ignored, before retreating back up towards the school. The sharp presence of Miss Maria's eyes boring into her back was a constant reminder of her actions, yet Shizuru kept her eyes forward, refusing to let the burden that had been so mercilessly strapped to her shoulders weigh her down.

Condemning herself to the authority of Nagi meant that, perhaps she was a traitor. Or perhaps she was simply carrying out her job as an Otome, as a soldier.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~

Emerald eyes roved over the plans for the fifth time over the last few hours. A sigh, and then the shuffling of papers as they were messily reorganized. Natsuki slunk back down to her seat, throwing poise and posture and all that nonsense to the wind as she slouched low, arms crossed over her chest. The situation in Windbloom was becoming more troublesme the longer they waited and Natsuki wasn't sure if she wanted to know what the situation inside Garderobe was like. She wanted to know what had become of Shizuru and she wanted to know what Nagi was planning.

The Meister doubted Shizuru would withold information, unless her life or another's was being compromised. The seedling of doubt had started to grow over the days, and Natsuki was more than guilty for thinking such things about Shizuru. The blue haired woman startled when a newspaper landed in front of her, and she sat up, casting a curious look at Nao before flipping through the pages.

One article, in particular, caught her attention and she slowed down to read it, brow furrowing. "What? That's...impossible." Her mind reeled as she read the same sentence over and over again. /Shizuru Viola swears allegiance to Nagi Dai Artai./ It couldn't be, could it? Had Shizuru gone and betrayed her? Betrayed Windbloom? Something about the entire thing felt off, but that was a minor detail in the overall situation. Natsuki felt her heart quicken as she tried to process the article. It was unlikely that Shizuru would really align herself with a sleaze like Nagi, yet Natsuki didn't know how likely it was that the whole thing was a setup and that Shizuru was manipulating Nagi.

"Oi, you okay there, Natsuki?" Nao pried the paper from the bluenette's hands, glancing down at the woman with a look of worry.

"No, I'm not." The Otome rose from her seat, bracing her hands against the surface of the table. "Windbloom is falling, Garderobe has been taken over, and my girlfriend might have betrayed me."

Nao frowned, contemplating Natsuki's situation. "Those were just rumors."

"Rumors or not, they can still be true. What worries me is the extent that Shizuru can go to if pushed hard enough." Natsuki gathered the files in her hand, slipping them back into the folder. "Anyway, we should head out." They had plans to seek help in Aries, and time was not on their side.

The blue haired woman walked by Nao, not waiting for the other woman to follow as she strode through the door. There was no room for argument, especially not when Natsuki was as determined as she was. Nao let her gaze follow the retreated back of the Headmistress before trailing after.

~~~~~~~OTOME~~~~~~~


End file.
